1st UMC JC
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    • Worship Video Archives Beginning Nov 2022
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  • Online Giving
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  • Early Learning Center
  • Home
  • Committed to Christ
  • Poinsettias 2023
  • In Person Worship
  • Streaming Worship
  • About Us
    • Church Staff
      • Announcements
        • Parking at 1stChurch
        • Standing Annoucements
        • Weather-Related Changes
    • Contact Us
    • General Property Layout and Entrances
    • Directions
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Worship Services / Times
    • Introduction
    • Visitor Page
    • Favorite Links
  • Programs/Activities
    • Women's Bible Study
    • Wednesday Night Fellowship
    • Three Rivers District Events
    • Loaves and Fishes Leaps and Bounds
    • More Loaves and Fishes
    • Camp Bays Mountain
    • Boy Scouts Troop 36
    • UMCmarket or Amazon Smiles
  • Ministries, Missions, Giving
    • MINISTRIES
      • Children's Ministries
        • Camp in the Community 2023
        • Early Learning Center
          • ELC Payment and Document Center
      • Youth Ministries
        • Youth Forms
        • Youth Group: UMYF
        • Youth Calendar
        • Sunday School
      • Adult Ministries
        • UMW
          • UMW INFORMATION
        • Conference Room Class
        • Friendship Sunday School Class
        • Open Door Sunday School Class
        • Pathfinders - Sunday School Class
        • Questors Sunday School Class
        • Scripture Study Sunday School Class
        • Fifth Sunday Breakfast and Program
      • Music Ministries
        • Chancel Choir
      • Prayer Ministries
        • Prayer Requests
        • Prayer Shawl Ministry
    • MISSIONS
      • Backpacks For Liberia
      • FUMC Food Pantry
      • UMCOR Cleaning Buckets
      • UMCOR Hygiene Kits
      • Operation Christmas Child
      • Clare's Closet
      • The Bridge
      • Brother's Keeper
      • Little Free Pantry
      • Kairos Ministry
      • Family Promise (IHN)
      • Czech Republic
      • Good Samaritan
      • Holston Home for Children
      • Medical Mission to Mexico
      • Melting Pot
      • BABMOC Bear Another's Burdens Ministry of Christ
      • Other Missions
    • Giving
      • Online Giving
      • Endowment Giving
      • The Building Fund
  • Communications and Media
    • Church-Wide Email Sign Up
    • Worship Video Archive since Feb 2023
    • Worship Video Archives Beginning Nov 2022
    • Worship Video Archive beginning 6/5/2022
    • Worship Video Archive beginning 2021 8 8
    • Worship Video Archive Prior to August 2021
    • Newsletter for FUMC
    • Google Calendar
    • Safe Sanctuaries Information
    • Volunteer Rosters
    • 2023-2024 Church Directory
    • Church Leadership 2023
      • Connections/Communications Pillar
      • Spiritual Development Pillar
      • Safety and Security Welcome Group
      • Outreach Pillar
      • Worship Pillar
        • AV Team
      • Leadership Pillar
      • Wednesday Night Fellowship Team
      • Finance Committee
      • SPPRC (Staff, Pastor, Parrish Relations Committee
      • Stewardship Committee
      • Endowment Committee
      • Facilities/Trustees
        • USE OF CHURCH FACILITIES
    • Forms and Information Documents
      • ONLINE FORMS
    • Time and Talent Survey
    • Photo Album General Tab
      • Photo Album
      • Photo Album Not Sorted by Year Yet
      • 2023 Photo Album
      • 2022 Photo Album
      • 2021 Photo Album
      • 2020 Photo Album
      • 2019 Photo Album
      • 2018 Photo Album
      • 2017 Photo Album
      • 2016 Photo Album
      • 2015 Photo Album
      • 2014 Photo Album
      • 2013 Photo Album
      • 2012 Photo Album
      • 2011 Photo Album
      • ELC 5K Event
      • Food Pantry Photo
      • Faces at First New Pics
  • Church Calendar
    • Calendar
      • Revised Common Lectionary
        • Definition
        • Church Year/Liturgical Colors
        • Weekly Readings
  • Online Giving
  • Methodist F.A.Q.
  • Christmas Camp `23
  • Early Learning Center
First United Methodist Church

Being led by the Spirit to reach out brings challenges -
but our church family is changing by leaps and bounds

Just a few years ago, our children's department was getting smaller. We had about three children of elementary age attending. Many of the active youth group graduated and there were only a few teenagers. One of our church members, a teacher, brought a couple of students from school as guests. Another staff person challenged us to reach out to some children who were slipping through some of the other systems. These students and children did not have family that attended this church. We picked them up and brought them. And they wanted the van to come and get them again. They wanted back. And they brought a few friends and siblings.
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Since then more staffing and additional volunteers of all ages have provided much needed leadership, love and guidance. We had strategized in committees and struggled with plans to take care of our church and prepare for the future. Many talked about various programs to reach out, Change is difficult. We had great ideas. Some of these stayed as ideas but bit by bit some ideas started becoming action steps. Shifting the focus to outside of our own church walls, to the neighborhood, to community schools, we found challenges we couldn't handle on our own. But, with God, we are finding ways. We have gone from a few children and a few youth to over a hundred and then some. We have struggled with finances on how to feed "our children" now. But we are feeding them. They eat together on Wednesday nights and Sunday nights. Sometimes they eat with other church members after church on Sundays. Also, we are feeding them more than food. And they are providing spiritual food for our church family as well.  Our church has found grant money to help us do this. And because of this ministry, 1stChurch is attracting some young families who are excited about seeing a church that reaches outside of itself to find purpose in community.

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  • Home
  • Committed to Christ
  • Poinsettias 2023
  • In Person Worship
  • Streaming Worship
  • About Us
    • Church Staff
      • Announcements
        • Parking at 1stChurch
        • Standing Annoucements
        • Weather-Related Changes
    • Contact Us
    • General Property Layout and Entrances
    • Directions
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Worship Services / Times
    • Introduction
    • Visitor Page
    • Favorite Links
  • Programs/Activities
    • Women's Bible Study
    • Wednesday Night Fellowship
    • Three Rivers District Events
    • Loaves and Fishes Leaps and Bounds
    • More Loaves and Fishes
    • Camp Bays Mountain
    • Boy Scouts Troop 36
    • UMCmarket or Amazon Smiles
  • Ministries, Missions, Giving
    • MINISTRIES
      • Children's Ministries
        • Camp in the Community 2023
        • Early Learning Center
          • ELC Payment and Document Center
      • Youth Ministries
        • Youth Forms
        • Youth Group: UMYF
        • Youth Calendar
        • Sunday School
      • Adult Ministries
        • UMW
          • UMW INFORMATION
        • Conference Room Class
        • Friendship Sunday School Class
        • Open Door Sunday School Class
        • Pathfinders - Sunday School Class
        • Questors Sunday School Class
        • Scripture Study Sunday School Class
        • Fifth Sunday Breakfast and Program
      • Music Ministries
        • Chancel Choir
      • Prayer Ministries
        • Prayer Requests
        • Prayer Shawl Ministry
    • MISSIONS
      • Backpacks For Liberia
      • FUMC Food Pantry
      • UMCOR Cleaning Buckets
      • UMCOR Hygiene Kits
      • Operation Christmas Child
      • Clare's Closet
      • The Bridge
      • Brother's Keeper
      • Little Free Pantry
      • Kairos Ministry
      • Family Promise (IHN)
      • Czech Republic
      • Good Samaritan
      • Holston Home for Children
      • Medical Mission to Mexico
      • Melting Pot
      • BABMOC Bear Another's Burdens Ministry of Christ
      • Other Missions
    • Giving
      • Online Giving
      • Endowment Giving
      • The Building Fund
  • Communications and Media
    • Church-Wide Email Sign Up
    • Worship Video Archive since Feb 2023
    • Worship Video Archives Beginning Nov 2022
    • Worship Video Archive beginning 6/5/2022
    • Worship Video Archive beginning 2021 8 8
    • Worship Video Archive Prior to August 2021
    • Newsletter for FUMC
    • Google Calendar
    • Safe Sanctuaries Information
    • Volunteer Rosters
    • 2023-2024 Church Directory
    • Church Leadership 2023
      • Connections/Communications Pillar
      • Spiritual Development Pillar
      • Safety and Security Welcome Group
      • Outreach Pillar
      • Worship Pillar
        • AV Team
      • Leadership Pillar
      • Wednesday Night Fellowship Team
      • Finance Committee
      • SPPRC (Staff, Pastor, Parrish Relations Committee
      • Stewardship Committee
      • Endowment Committee
      • Facilities/Trustees
        • USE OF CHURCH FACILITIES
    • Forms and Information Documents
      • ONLINE FORMS
    • Time and Talent Survey
    • Photo Album General Tab
      • Photo Album
      • Photo Album Not Sorted by Year Yet
      • 2023 Photo Album
      • 2022 Photo Album
      • 2021 Photo Album
      • 2020 Photo Album
      • 2019 Photo Album
      • 2018 Photo Album
      • 2017 Photo Album
      • 2016 Photo Album
      • 2015 Photo Album
      • 2014 Photo Album
      • 2013 Photo Album
      • 2012 Photo Album
      • 2011 Photo Album
      • ELC 5K Event
      • Food Pantry Photo
      • Faces at First New Pics
  • Church Calendar
    • Calendar
      • Revised Common Lectionary
        • Definition
        • Church Year/Liturgical Colors
        • Weekly Readings
  • Online Giving
  • Methodist F.A.Q.
  • Christmas Camp `23
  • Early Learning Center